Spring Shopping Guide: Metal Corner Bags

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

I agonized over what to call this trend: metal-tipped bags? Metal-trim bags? Metal-edged bags? It's a very specific trend, but one that I'm seeing more and more. I found "metal corner" to be the most descriptive of what I want: A soft, slouchy leather bag, edged in metal at the corners—sometimes the bottom, sometimes the flap, sometimes the top. It's a subtle execution of hardware trim, and it gives these bags a quietly luxe look, no matter what the price.

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The bag that inspired this post is 3.1 Phillip Lim's Scout drawstring tote. Lim has been killing it lately with his bags, and this one is no exception—I was drawn to it from about 50 feet away. The leather is soft and slouchy, which is a nice counterpart to the thick (but not too heavy) gold trim at the corners. Even better, there's just one shoulder strap, making it the perfect combination of hobo and tote.

I've long admired Alexander Wang's Emile Tote, however whenever I pick one up, I realize it suffers from the same fate of nearly every Wang bag: It's damn heavy. Still, if you don't actually have to carry it anywhere—or if you're freakishly strong—it's a beauty.

If Gucci were a city, it would be Vegas: expensive, decadent, and a yet little trashy. It's that balance of luxury and sex that makes bags like the 1970 hobo—one of the more glamorous shoulder bags out there—so perfect.

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Loeffler Randall is churning out some of the coolest bags I've seen in awhile; my one (tiny) complaint is that the best ones are too small for me and all my daily crap. Still, with its metal chain strap and corners, the pochette bag is almost enough to make me pare down (or, at least, make it my go-to evening bag).

One of my biggest regrets is selling my Foley + Corinna city tote on eBay; wherever it is, I hope its owner is enjoying it. Their bags are so soft and thoughtfully made, I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on this equally cool, updated frame tote.

And speaking of bag designers I love, this metal corner clutch from Rebecca Minkoff is fun, fun, fun. (Which reminds me, it's time to break out my neon mini MAC!)

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Below $100, knockoffs abound, and this Warehouse tote is pretty much a blatant copy of Alexander Wang's Prisma tote. But if that doesn't bother you, it's a practical shape and color—a chic update to an everyday bag.

I like this Obey satchel because it's a more luxe update of that ubiquitous schoolboy satchel that's been everywhere for a few seasons now (and with good reason—it's a very versatile style).

But while we're at this price, why not have a little fun? This tassel-detail clutch is one of my favorites in the bunch—and under $25 at that!

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